Thursday, February 28, 2013

Hi, everyone! I'm so excited to share this project with you. It's one of those things I've wanted to try for a long time and just now got around to it. When I got Tim Holtz' Star Bright die, my head was swimming with ideas. Unfortunately, December is such a busy month, I never got around to doing half the stuff I wanted to do! I wanted to experiment with making a vintage-looking, rusty star. When I got these new Cowgirl Strength rubber stamps from Artistic Outpost, everything clicked and I finally had time to sit down and play!

To create the 3D star, I first cut the shapes out of chipboard using Tim's die. I painted it lightly with Silver and Terra Cotta Adirondack Dabber. Then the fun begins! I sprinkled embossing powder here and there and heated it. After that, I started dripping alcohol inks randomly, to give it a rusty, heated metal look. It's SO amazing in person!

Once the star was done, I created a rosette using the Mini Rosettes die. It was cut from white cardstock, stamped with a ledger image from Artistic Outpost's Ephemera Background collection, and then inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain. The cowgirl was stamped with Jet Black Archival ink and then colored with Distress Markers. To finish the bottom, I created a banner using Tim's Tattered Banners die and the new Wanted Alpha die (love this one!). The little sign was painted with a black dabber and then sanded down and inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress ink. On the top, I added a little hanger made with an idea-ology Long Fastener and a Jump Ring (thanks so much to Paula Cheney for that cool idea!).

All of the products I used, other than the stamps, can be found at Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% off your order!

InLinkz.com
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I'm so sorry I've been a little absent lately - I have been fighting the worst cold that just won't go away. I think I'm just about over it now though, so I should be back to sharing lots more!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

I've had this gorgeous new set of stamps from Artistic Outpost sitting on my table, just waiting for the perfect time to ink them up. After reading through the latest Technique Junkie Newsletter, I found a technique that I knew would be perfect with them. It's called Splattered Bleach and it is so darn cool!! I love the look it gives my card. The cowgirl was stamped on white cardstock and colored with Tim Holtz' Distress Markers. I'm still a bit iffy when it comes to coloring, but I'm trying to get better at it. :) I also colored the banners with markers.

The frame was created by cutting chipboard using the new Tim Holtz Cameo Frame Die and Sized Ovals from Sizzix. After it was cut, I embossed it with Tim's Woodgrain Texture Fade, painted it with a Pitch Black Dabber, and sanded it down. Finally, I coated it with JudiKins MicroGlaze and buffed it so it has a light sheen. I can't tell you how much I love the look of this! It really adds to the worn, vintage western feel I was going for. To finish the card, I added a little rusty star that I got at Hobby Lobby ages ago. It's the perfect touch!

The Cowgirl Strength stamp set can be ordered from Artistic Outpost. Everything else I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10%!

I'm sure you've seen all the things I've put on Eileen's Cupcake Stand die - imagine how excited when I got her Square Box die and discovered it fit perfectly on top of the stand! The question was - now what do I do with it? I thought I'd do a French theme, but wasn't sure what exactly that would be. Then, I thought about putting ruffles around the box. Oooh...pretty! But what else? Then I thought of those Barbie cakes - you know, where you bake a round cake and stick a doll in the top? I guess the fluffy skirt made me think of Marie Antoinette and my idea was born. I would make a little square cake on a stand - how appropriate. Qu'ils mangent de la brioche! Or not.

The hardest part was finding the right image for the top. I was beyond thrilled to find this collection from RhondasOriginals on Etsy. You need to check out her store - I am going back for more! Her collage sheets are gorgeous and couldn't be more perfect for this project.

Lift up Marie's skirt and what do you find? Chocolate! :) I really wanted to keep this as a functional box. Making it out of mat board means it's sturdy enough to hold just about anything you want to fill it with. If you'd like to make one yourself, here is a quick tutorial on how I made mine.

Marie Antoinette Candy Box

1. Begin by cutting the Large Box and Cupcake Stand from white mat board.
2. Assemble the bottom of the cupcake stand and cover with platinum glitter.
3. Cover the sides of the platform with glitter and adhere to stand. Assemble box according to directions on package.

4. Cut a 6' length of white crepe paper streamer and sew a gathering stitch about 5/8" from the edge. Gather and fold over, using the stitched line as a guide (this gives you a double ruffle).
5. About 1" from the bottom, adhere a piece of Scor-Tape. Press crepe paper ruffle onto tape, going all the way around the box. Clip and continue up the sides of the box.
6. Adhere the flap as shown. Cover the rest of the box with ruffle, making sure not to interfere with the lid.

7. Cover the top with Scor-Tape and continue the ruffle, applying in a circular fashion, working from the outside edge to the center.
8. Cut a foam block (saved from Sizzix Texture Fades packaging - great tip from Jan Hobbins!) to size and adhere it to the center of the box. Use a piece of leftover ruffle to camouflage it. This will be what you adhere the Marie image to.

9. Stack several white coffee filters together and cut using Eileen Hull's Flower Layers #9 die (I only cut the smaller flower). Color using Spun Sugar Distress Stain. Let dry.
10. Cover a toothpick with Scor-Tape. Adhere one end of the die cut and continue wrapping the paper around the toothpick, creating a flower.
11. Snip excess toothpick from blossom. Coat edges with glue and dip into glitter.

12. Punch a hole in the center of the box lid. Add a jump ring and clear idea-ology Bauble. Adhere flowers as desired.
12. Line box with decorative paper.

To finish off the box, I assembled the paper doll and adhered her to the foam block (I trimmed a bit of the skirt off to get it to fit right). Finally, I glued the box to the cupcake stand using Beacon's 3-in-1 adhesive. Her little sign is one of the images included in the collection. For that, I glittered a toothpick and glued the sign to it and then to her hand.

I am so in love with how this turned out! I can't wait to use Eileen's Square Box die even more. So many possibilities!

Many of the products I used can be found at Inspiration Emporium. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!